******Design/Leadership Lessons*******
Here is an idea of how the Zenneo team work with and lead business/design changes. Ken Palmers provided the perfect persepective with something as simple as LEGO.
1. Start with what success looks like
Provide an exciting picture of what the final product (or vision) looks like. LEGO does this with the exciting and completed image on the box. Don’t deflate people right from the start with extensive plans and steps, such as how many pieces you’ll need to sort through!
2. Consider interchangeable parts
Occasionally, LEGO sets may be missing some blocks, but Ken found that this only motivated his daughters to dig through their ‘spare parts’ buckets and keep on building. The same applies in the workforce. Instead of letting ‘missing blocks’ stop you, go back and look at any spare pieces you have, such as lessons learnt and accomplishments that you can reapply or reuse to solve new problems.
3. Instructions are only so helpful
Sometimes, pouring over instructions on how to build the perfect structure won’t help and Ken found that watching his daughters applying simple, yet fearless experimentation (‘let’s try and see if this works’) was an essential element to accelerating innovation. There may be several right ways in achieving outcomes, and it’s key to encourage and reward staff who experiment, learn and build.
4. It’s more fun when people are working together!
Sharing experiences with groups of people is much more fun and engaging. What different people, their perspectives and experiences can bring to the table contributes to open and valuable collaboration and can make what was an ordinary structure, an extraordinary one!
5. The quality of the finished product relies on imagination
There is always a way to modify or improve your processes on the road to success, if you stay focussed, positive and look for the opportunities along the way. Ken noticed that when one of his daughter’s LEGO motorcycle was destroyed after a tumble down hardwood stairs, she saw it as opportunity to improve the structure. She reassessed the weight of the motorcycle, stripped it down, modified the design and sent it down the stairs again. Remember, our success in our goals is only limited by our imaginations.